In less than 2 weeks time, Wouna and I hope to be lining up for the 2014 AMI Round the Bays Half Marathon in Wellington. The race has been on our radar for a couple of years, mainly because a major theme of the event is Running for Research, with all participants having the opportunity to set up a sponsorship page to help collect funds for the event’s main beneficiary, the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research. Continue reading
If someone were to tell me I have to do two speed sessions two days in a row, I would have laughed him off, mumbling something like “crazy bugger”. Speed session is not in my vocabulary. Neither is fartleks or hill training for that matter. But if we’re on our daily trot and feeling okey, I’m always up for the challenge to race to the next street lamp, even if “race” implies just picking up the pace a notch or two for the next 50 metres or so.
As someone who’s always on the lookout for affordable events close-by we were happy to stumble upon a series, similar to the Super Sevens, in our neighbouring town of Pahiatua. It is a 5km run and walk hosted every Wednesday by the local club, the Bush Harriers, for the five weeks leading up to their half marathon on 22 March. So Gerry and I opted to go for the first one and see what it’s like. I doubt we’ll go through the trouble of driving 30km out and 30km back just to run 5km every week for the next 5 weeks, but we thought it to be a good outing and you have to try everything once, right? Continue reading
For this week’s run we were treated to a glorious, sunny day, so the complementary sunblock was a welcome sight.
With every step I take, I feel my lungs burn, I hear myself breath hard and fast and there’s a knot in my stomach that just won’t go away.
The reason? I’m going all out, trying to see how fast I can finish the 7 kilometre course of the Manawatu Striders Super Seven Series.
It’s week 4 of the series. Wouna and I unfortunately missed week 2, but for the first and third runs we kept to a fairly casual trot. Being far from racing fit, this seemed like a good approach, allowing us to enjoy our runs while still finishing fresh.
This week, however, being the halfway mark of the series, we decided to not run together like we always do, but each rather going at our own pace, to try and push it a little to see where our fitness levels are. Continue reading
Things were going well for the back-of-the-packers. We did our daily jog. Fitted in the long-runs on weekends. Entered for the Rotorua marathon which is happening on 2 May. And then life got in the way. Funny how this always happens the moment you commit to something big. Continue reading
It’s January, and if you’re a runner in the Manawatu, that means one thing – it’s time for the Super Seven Series!
Starting a week from today, the Super Sevens consist of 7 weekly runs of 7kms each, run every Tuesday afternoon from 14 January to 25 February. By far the biggest race series in the region, between 1400 and 1500 people from Palmerston North and its neighbouring towns turn out every Tuesday for a run along the Manawatu river. While I’m sure there’s some serious racing going on at the front of the field, for the most part it’s a laid back, social event, with participants of every shape and size joining in on the fun.
Hundreds of people next to the Manawatu River on their way back to the finish.
Jog around the Blog 